Sea star qt?? Your thoughts

[Rickybobby]

Hey everyone I have a sea star on the mind again and would like to get one for the fam.
ok I’ve qt fish and inverts coral etc.
I read somewhere that you just rinse it a few times in fresh tank water obviously in different bowls?? This can’t be ?? Than why not do that with everything else??
Your thoughts. I ask because we just welcomed our second daughter this week and I took my qt tank down for simplicity during this time

 

[blaxsun]

Or you can just drip acclimate over 40 minutes or so. Starfish can be a bit more sensitive to water and salinity changes.

 

[Rickybobby]

Personally, I think it's tough to put a permanent UV on a small tank for both cost and aesthetic reasons. I think there's something called a green killing machine or something that's an all-in-one UV system that you can put in your tank temporarily. UV does really help with dinos. Less so for prorocentrum, but still somewhat effective.

Or you can just drip acclimate over 40 minutes or so. Starfish can be a bit more sensitive to water and salinity changes.

So your saying you don’t qt?

 

[blaxsun]

So your saying you don’t qt?

My inverts? Nope - drip acclimation and into the tank (but that's just me).

 

[davidcalgary29]

...but if it's wet, it's a vector for disease. Members on this site have reported importing infections into their tanks on inverts. Urchins cannot, apparently, be encysted with ich, but that's not the case with other inverts. It's all a calculated -- albeit small -- risk.

I quarantine everything now.

 

[sfin52]

You risk Stars striving in qt tank. Most don't have enough food for stars

 

[davidcalgary29]

You risk Stars striving in qt tank. Most don't have enough food for stars

I agree, and that's one of the reasons why sea stars are an iffy proposition. Many of them starve and/or do poorly even in well-established tanks.

 

[blaxsun]

...but if it's wet, it's a vector for disease. Members on this site have reported importing infections into their tanks on inverts. Urchins cannot, apparently, be encysted with ich, but that's not the case with other inverts. It's all a calculated -- albeit small -- risk. I quarantine everything now.

I'm fully aware of this, believe me. That's why I only advocate for what works for me (YMMV).

 

[CanuckReefer]

My inverts? Nope - drip acclimation and into the tank (but that's just me).

Yup same.

You risk Stars striving in qt tank. Most don't have enough food for stars

Yup, most can't keep up with the feed requirements. It's often a slow death.

Hey everyone I have a sea star on the mind again and would like to get one for the fam.
ok I’ve qt fish and inverts coral etc.
I read somewhere that you just rinse it a few times in fresh tank water obviously in different bowls?? This can’t be ?? Than why not do that with everything else??
Your thoughts. I ask because we just welcomed our second daughter this week and I took my qt tank down for simplicity during this time

What is the species you are considering? I do have a sand sifting that has managed to stay alive over a year, but we rarely ever see it. If its Linkia or one of the typical sacrificial lambs in LFS I would avoid.

 

[Auquanut]

Going with @sfin52 on this. Starfish are very delicate and notoriously hard to keep in an aquarium. Brittles are hardier, and will often take meaty foods that are target fed, but I personally would take the chance even with a brittle star and acclimate and dump if you really want one and think your tank is ready.

 

[Cantusaurus]

You could drip it, etc. and transfer it to a new container with tank water for a couple minutes, and then add just the starfish to the tank. Your highly minimizing the amount of store water getting into the tank. If your water quality is good, and fish are healthy you really should be fine.
What type of starfish?

 

[davidcalgary29]

I'm fully aware of this, believe me. That's why I only advocate for what works for me (YMMV).

That wasn't meant as a critique, believe me! I just woke up this morning to find a fish in my QT lying on its side and aspirating rapidly. It was fine yesterday, and eating well. Whatever hit, hit FAST, and I had to immediately dose copper, which I didn't want to do. Sigh. Well, at least it wasn't in one of my displays...

 

[Miami Reef]

Good news guys: starfish cannot host ich tomonts. Any free swimmers can easily be removed with a rinse before adding to tank.

I will post the link with the chart and study.

 

[Miami Reef]

Coral/Invert Quarantine Time Frames

Coral/Invert Quarantine Time Frames IMPORTANT UPDATE: Raising aquarium temperature to 27C/80.6F can shorten the coral/invert isolation period to 6 weeks: New Ich Fallow Period Preface: The purpose of this article is to outline time periods required to properly quarantine (QT) marine corals &...

humble.fish

Enjoy! I personally QT everything wet in my tank, but I do not QT starfish as it’s not needed. Ich free swimmers have a weak adherence and a through rinse prior will leave no risk to your tank.

 

[CanuckReefer]

Coral/Invert Quarantine Time Frames

Coral/Invert Quarantine Time Frames IMPORTANT UPDATE: Raising aquarium temperature to 27C/80.6F can shorten the coral/invert isolation period to 6 weeks: New Ich Fallow Period Preface: The purpose of this article is to outline time periods required to properly quarantine (QT) marine corals &...

humble.fish

Enjoy! I personally QT everything wet in my tank, but I do not QT starfish as it’s not needed. Ich free swimmers have a weak adherence and a through rinse prior will leave no risk to your tank.

Can we see these Stars? And how long have you had? Just curious. If you can keep them alive longer term then great for you, they are often beautiful and delicate same time.

 

[vetteguy53081]

You dont want stars in a QT tank as they need a constant food source which QT likely cant provide.
Most feed off the sandbed or coral rock which QT Tanks do not provide. I'd wait to enter until you can provide proper environmental and nutritional needs.
Brittle and serpant stars the easiest for aquarium and linkia or knobby of the most difficult.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Good news guys: starfish cannot host ich tomonts. Any free swimmers can easily be removed with a rinse before adding to tank.

I will post the link with the chart and study.

Although ich can't encyst on them, some carry shell or sand with them when sold and may enter aquarium and is best they are rinsed in tank water in a container to dislodge anything they be carrying in form of rock, shells or sand.

 

[Miami Reef]

Can we see these Stars? And how long have you had? Just curious. If you can keep them alive longer term then great for you, they are often beautiful and delicate same time.

I have a few starfish. You can see this one with plankton on it’s armpits
I recently added a sand sifting starfish. I haven’t seen it for 2 weeks. It’s probably doing it’s job under the sand.

I had this red one for a few months. I have 2 and it hasn’t died on me yet. There’s a lot of plankton crawling around the rocks for it - as you can see in the picture.

@vetteguy53081 usually starfish drop whatever the are carrying during the bagging process. Regardless, I did mention a thorough rinsing, which includes sand particles.

 

[CanuckReefer]

You dont want stars in a QT tank as they need a constant food source which QT likely cant provide.
Most feed off the sandbed or coral rock which QT Tanks do not provide. I'd wait to enter until you can provide proper environmental and nutritional needs.
Brittle and serpant stars the easiest for aquarium and linkia or knobby of the most difficult.

Agreed and one is Asteroidea, the other Ophiuroidea, and entirely different.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have a few starfish. You can see this one with plankton on it’s armpits
I recently added a sand sifting starfish. I haven’t seen it for 2 weeks. It’s probably doing it’s job under the sand.

@vetteguy53081 usually starfish drop whatever the are carrying during the bagging process. Regardless, I did mention a thorough rinsing, which includes sand particles.

Those are copepods not plankton. Nice color on that linkia which can be a challenge. I mentioned sand and shells as many do not know this.